Dame Shirley Bassey has slammed modern pop stars for being more concerned with flashing the flesh than working on their music.

The 78-year-old singer, whose career has spanned 60 years, said she had been shocked by Rihanna’s choice of skimpy gown at the Met Ball and thought stars should save their revealing get-ups for the stage.

According to the Daily Mirror, she said: “It’s like they’re all in competition with each other for who can wear the skimpiest outfit. In my day it was for the stage only, you didn’t go out looking like that.

Rihanna
Rihanna at the Met Ball (Evan Agostini/AP)

“When I saw the Met Ball, excuse me, when I saw Rihanna’s gown. I think you have to leave some things to the imagination.

“Yes, my gowns were sexy, with a cut-out and a slit here, but I didn’t show everything.”

She went on: “These girls are talented singers – they don’t need that but they feel they do. That’s the sad thing about it. Go in the studio and sing your heart out, get a vocal coach and strengthen your vocal cords.”

Dame Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey says less is more (Jordan Strauss/Invision)

Dame Shirley, who has sung three James Bond theme tunes, also speculated on who would be chosen for the upcoming film Spectre.

She said: “The Bond theme is likely to be whoever is the flavour of the month – maybe Taylor Swift. She just won eight Billboard awards, it could be her.

“Of course I would love to do another Bond theme, I haven’t been asked.

Taylor Swift
Dame Shirley Bassey thinks Taylor Swift could sing the next Bond theme (Daniel Torok/AP)

“Sam Smith can’t do it now, he lost his voice. He should get a vocal coach and do all these operatic notes that opera singers do, like I did when I lost my voice years ago. I was with an opera singer for a year doing vocal exercises only.”

The Goldfinger singer added that her good health was down to three gym sessions a week with a trainer, but confessed she indulged in the diet of a diva on weekends.

She said: “I feel it when I don’t go. I watch what I eat during the week and at weekends I go mad – I love ice-cream, caviar with cream and baked potatoes.”